Regulatory Issues

news/archiveDecember 17, 2009Members of Wisconsin State Assembly Seek Nanotechnology RegistryThree members of the Wisconsin State Legislature have requested a Legislative Council study to be conducted on the feasibility of creating a nanotechnology registry and the development of subsequent legislation, to monitor the use, manufacture and disposal of nanomaterials in Wisconsin.

news/archiveOctober 13, 2009Nanolessons for Revamping Government Oversight of TechnologyA new article by PEN senior advisor J. Clarence (Terry) Davies calls for radical change in how the federal government oversees nanotechnology and other technologies to best protect human health and the environment.

news/archiveAugust 25, 2009Nanotech-enabled Consumer Products Top the 1,000 MarkNanotechnology Consumer Products Inventory now contains over 1,000 nanotechnology-enabled consumer products, reflecting the increasing use of tiny particles in everything from conventional products like non-stick cookware and lighter, stronger tennis racquets, to more unique items such as wearable sensors that monitor posture.

news/archiveJuly 29, 20095 years on - a beacon or just a landmark?A new report from The Responsible Nano Forum marks the 5 year anniversary of the release of the seminal report from the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties.

events/archiveApril 28, 2009Oversight of Next Generation NanotechnologyWhen the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was founded, automobiles ran on leaded gasoline without catalytic converters. A landmark report by J. Clarence Davies, Oversight of Next Generation Nanotechnology, describes how existing health and safety agencies are unable to cope with the risk assessment, standard setting and oversight challenges of 21st century technology.video

news/archiveApril 28, 2009Former EPA Official Calls For New Environmental & Consumer Protection AgencyExisting health and safety agencies are unable to cope with the risk assessment, standard setting and oversight challenges of advancing nanotechnology. In a landmark report, Oversight of Next Generation Nanotechnology, J. Clarence Davies highlights the need for a new agency to address current forms of pollution and to deal with the health and environmental impacts of the technically complex products promised by rapid 21st century scientific advances.video

publications/archiveApril 6, 2009Toward a Comprehensive Strategy for Nanotechnology Risk CommunicationThe last in a trio of studies: Cultural Cognition and Nanotechnology Risk Perceptions: An Experimental Investigation of Message Framing, asks what science will reveal about the risks and benefits of nanotechnology and what conclusions members of the public will form? It takes an in depth look at the power of information framing to accentuate or mitigate cultural polarization.

events/archiveMarch 25, 2009Synthetic Biology: The Next Biotech Revolution Is BrewingEarly applications of synthetic biology may be adequately addressed by the existing regulatory framework for biotechnology, but further advances in this emerging field are likely to create much greater challenges for the U.S. government, according to a new report authored by Michael Rodemeyer of the University of Virginia.video

news/archiveFebruary 26, 2009Revisiting the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976Today the U.S. House of Representatives began the process of re-examining the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. According to the the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, “The hearing will address critical gaps in the statute and explore how these gaps hinder effective chemical safety policy in the United States.”video

news/archiveFebruary 11, 2009Stimulus Debate Highlights Need for Focus on Nanotech RisksThe nearly $800 billion stimulus package being debated in Congress contains a number of measures intended to improve information technology, infrastructure and the energy economy in the United States – all areas that will be greatly aided by nanotechnology. Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation that makes the importance of understanding the possible risks posed by engineered nanomaterials a centerpiece of the goverment’s reauthorization of funding for nanotechnology research. The bill highlights the growing need to learn more about the possible environmental, health and safety dangers posed by some nanoscale materials.

news/archiveJanuary 28, 2009World’s First Mandatory National Nanotech Requirement PendingCanada is reportedly planning in February to become the first nation in the world to require companies to detail their use of engineered nanomaterials. The information gathered under the requirement will be used to evaluate the risks of engineered nanomaterials and will help to develop appropriate safety measures to protect human health and the environment.